Create a Blackberry Torch Using Photoshop and Illustrator

In this tutorial, we will draw a highly realistic blackberry torch using Photoshop and Illustrator. We'll use Photoshop for basic shapes and shading and Illustrator for more complex shapes. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Draw Basic Shape

Let's start by creating the basic shape of the phone. There are many methods to do this. I always find it easier to use a basic shape and modify it. In this case, I start by creating a rectangular shape with color #afacac then add some points, remove unneeded points, and modify its handle. See image below to see how I did it.

Step 2

Add layer styles Inner Shadow and Inner Glow.

Step 3

Duplicate shape by pressing Cmd/Ctrl + J. Use direct selection tool to select three points indicated below and move them upward. This is going to be phone's front face.

Step 4: Screen

Create a 450x600 px rectangle on top of the shape. This will be screen area. Add Inner Shadow and Inner Glow to add depth into the screen.

Step 5

Add a picture and place it on top of the screen. Hit Cmd/Ctrl + Alt + G to convert it into clipping mask. The picture will automatically be placed inside the screen. You still can move or resize it if needed.

Step 6

Draw this black shape behind the screen.

Step 7

Duplicate shape and resize it to 99%. Add a subtle Gradient Overlay to the shape. I always add subtle gradients to add a natural look, since there is no perfect solid color in the real world.

Step 8

Create a new layer on top of the screen and convert it to Clipping Mask by pressing Cmd/Ctrl + ALt + G. Paint white using soft brush and reduce layer opacity to 10%.

Step 9: Speaker

Duplicate screen shape, add rounded rectangle path on top of it and select intersect. Set Fill layer to 0%. This is going to be its speaker.

Step 10

Create a new file with size 32x40 px. Draw two circles, place them on opposite corners. Fill it with black.

Step 11

Select all (Cmd/Ctrl + A) and save it as a pattern by clicking Edit > Define Pattern. You may close the file, we won't need it anymore.

Step 12

Step 13: Draw Highlight and Shadow

Cmd/Ctrl-Click phone's front face shape. Create a new group layer and click Add Layer Mask icon. We are going to draw metallic reflections in this group.

Step 14

The idea is simple. We just need to add lots of subtle shadows and highlights on the phone surface. Draw a path using pen tool, convert it to selection by pressing Cmd/Ctrl + Enter. Create new layer. Let's start drawing shadow. Fill it with black. Add Gaussian Blur to soften the shape then reduce layer opacity to 30%.

Step 15

Use the same technique to draw highlights. Draw path, convert it to selection, fill it with white, add Gaussian Blur, reduce layer's Opacity.

Step 16

Keep drawing highlights and shadows using technique I described above. Place all your drawings on different layers, this will help if you want to modify it. Make sure to use different opacities to give it random reflections.

Step 17

Let's draw a coarse highlight. Draw a thin path under the screen, convert it to selection, then fill it with white. No need to add Gaussian Blur or reduce its opacity.

Step 18

Now let's add another shadow on the side of the phone. See picture below for reference.

Step 19

It's important to add some coarser highlights and shadows on one side of the phone to keep it realistic. Draw a shape on top of the phone, convert it to selection, and fill it with gradient from black to darker gray.

Step 20

Inside the shadow, draw a soft highlight. Reduce its opacity to 30%.

Step 21

On top of previous highlight, draw smaller highlight but with higher intensity. Don't just copy paste the highlight. It's not natural to have perfectly similar highlight on both sides.

Step 22

As I said, it's not natural to have same highlight on both side. I decided to add another highlight on right side of the phone. This creates imperfection and adds more realism to the phone.

Step 23

Let's draw another detail. Draw a 2px white line. To draw a straight line, hold shift while dragging. Erase top and bottom of the line using a big soft eraser.

Step 24

Reduce its opacity to 50%.

Step 25

Draw a black line on top of the phone and reduce its opacity to 5%. This subtle shadow adds a sense of depth to the phone.

Step 26: Main Button

Draw a path to separate screen area and menu button. Change its Fill layer to 0%. Add layer styles drop shadow and Bevel and Emboss.

Step 27

Cmd/Ctrl-Click shape to convert it to selection. Create new layer. Click Edit > Stroke with 1px width and Color: White.

Step 28

Add a layer mask and paint some of the line. Reduce its opacity to 25%. This will add a subtle highlight on the separator.

Step 40

Step 41

Step 42

Cover some of the shape with two rectangles. Select all shapes and hit Minus Front.

Step 43

Draw a triangle using polygon tool. To change its side, you need to click once to open polygon dialog box and use 3 for the sides. Place the triangle on end of the ring and select Unite to combine both shapes into an arrow.

Step 44

Paste it onto Photoshop with white color.

Step 45

Draw two black rectangles on top and bottom of the screen. Set its opacity to 50%.

Step 46: Draw Battery Icon

In Photoshop, draw a simple battery made from some rectangles. Add Gradient Overlay to make it shiny.

Step 47: Mail Icon

Draw a rounded rectangle. On top of it draw two overlapping rounded rectangles. Cut them using shape drawn with pen tool. Draw another line using rectangle tool.

Step 48

On top right corner, draw some white rectangles. Create new layer under red circle shape. Cmd/Ctrl-click red shape to create selection based on its shape. Move the selection a few pixels down and fill it with black. Delete unneeded shadow outside the mail.

Step 49: Twitter Icon

Copy Twitter logo, then trace its shape manually using pen tool. Paste the twitter shape as a layer shape and use light blue for its color. Add Gradient Overlay and white Stroke.

Step 50

Cmd/Ctrl-click twitter icon to create selection based on its shape. Click Select > Modify > Subtract, 1px. Paint white on top of the logo.

Step 51: Facebook Icon

Create a rectangle shape and this Gradient Overlay. Inside the rectangle add an f.

Step 52: Speaker Icon

Draw a rounded rectangle. On top of it, add another rounded rectangle them transform it. See picture below for reference. Set fill layer to 0% and add layer style Stroke.

Step 53

Next to the speaker, draw some circle shapes. Each in different layers with layer style stroke. Put them into a folder group, add layer mask, and paint some part of it with black.

Step 54: Magnify Icon

Draw a circle. Inside it draw smaller circle and select subtract. Add a rectangle for its handle then rotate the layer.

Step 55: Signal Icon

To draw a signal icon you just need some rectangles and a triangle.

Step 56

When we zoom in, you can see that there is some unneeded anti-aliasing going on. We will need to fix this.

Step 57

To fix this, we need to select the points with direct selection tool and nudge them by pressing the arrow keys. Do this until the transparent pixels disappear.

Step 78

Step 79

Paste the globe into Photoshop and place it inside the previous circle shape. Slightly rotate the globe. Add layer mask and add gradient to hide lower right part of the globe.

Step 80

Return to Illustrator. Create a short curved line. From brushes panel select brush type that add weight onto the lines. Click Object > Expand to covert line into shape.

Step 81

Add a triangle on its end. Select both shape and click Unite to combine into one shape.

Step 82

Use pen tool and drag arrow's end to make it curvy.

Step 83

Draw one more line.

Step 84

Paste both shapes into Photoshop. Use #e7bc3d as its color.

Step 85: Add Glossy and Depth

Copy all icons’ base path and paste it onto new shape layer. Place it under al layers. Set fill layer to 0%, add Drop Shadow and Gradient Overlay.

Step 86

Our last step is just a subtle change. You may not notice it, but if you compared them, you'll see that we have one nice glossy effect with depth.

Step 87: Active Icon Background

Create a blue rounded rectangle and put it behind one of the icon. Add Gradient Overlay.

Step 88: Add Menu Text

Above all the icons, write Recent, All, and Favorite. Add layer mask and paint part of the text that is outside the screen.

Step 89: Add 3D Effect on Keyboard Area

Select base path created earlier in first step, duplicate it twice. Move one of the pathes three pixels up and set it to subtract. Add Gradient Overlay, dark gray to white.

Step 90: Keypad

Draw a dark gray rectangle. Add Gradient Overlay and Stroke.

Step 91

Create a new layer above the keypad and convert it to Clipping Mask. Use soft brush to paint some highlights.

Step 92

Image below shows the layer I used on a black canvas.

Step 93

Add character to the keypad.

Step 94

Duplicate the keypad five times and change its characters.

Step 95

Duplicate all five keypads and flip it horizontally. Change its characters.

Step 96

Create a rectangle under the keypads. Add Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, and Bevel and Emboss.

Step 97

Select all keypad layers and hit Cmd/Ctrl + G to put it in a group. Right click group and choose Convert to Smart Object. Hit Cmd/Ctrl + T, right click and choose Warp. In option bar select Arch and change Bend size, see picture below for reference.

Step 98

Duplicate previous keypad by right clicking it and choose New Smart Object via Copy. Don not use Cmd/Ctrl + J or Layer > New > Layer via Copy. We want a new smart object not its child. If you use Cmd/Ctrl + J, the duplicated smart object is basically the same object to the one you copy. If you edit it, all of its instances will also change.

Move the duplicated smart objects until we have a full set of keyboards. Then, double click all the smart objects to change each character.

Step 99

We need special treatment to keypad on top corner, Q and P. Modify its corner until it's rounded.

Step 100

Repeat step 89 to create the remaining keypad.

Step 101

To draw a space, we need to use more complex steps. You can see steps I did in picture below. As usual, every stroke of brush in made in different layer.

Step 102

Here you can see set of layers I used to draw highlight on space key.

Step 103

Our keypad here is too similar, they have same highlight, same shadow, same lighting. To add realism, let's paint black on half of the keypads so they are darker than the rest. Set its opacity to 9%. Just a subtle effect but add a bit more realism.

Step 104: Keyboard Base

Draw this shape manually using pen tool. Use black for its color.

Step 105

Duplicate shape and change its color to dark gray. Hit Cmd/Ctrl T and resize it to 99%. A black shape behind it added more depth to its appearance.

Step 106: Inset Lines

Create a rounded rectangle path covering keypads. Convert it to selection by pressing Cmd/Ctrl + Enter. Click Edit > Stroke, use 2px with white color. Add layer mask and paint some parts of the line to hide it.

Step 107

Repeat previous step, this time use slightly bigger rounded rectangle and add Gaussian Blur to make the lines softer.

Step 108

Just as previous step, create a line. This time use black.

Step 109

Again, repeat the same process.

Step 110

What we did in step 104-107 is adding an inset lines. We use lots of black and white lines because in real life shadow and highlight is always bouncing. This process replicate that effect.

Step 111: Add reflection

Select inner part of the phone. We are going to add some reflections inside it. Create group layer and click Add Layer Mask icon.

Step 112

The process is similar to what we have already done in Step 13. Draw a shape using pen tool, covert it to selection, fill with white for highlight, black for shadow, add Gaussian Blur, reduce its opacity.

Step 113

Draw some shadows on lower part of the phone.

Step 114: Add Shadow

Create new layer and place it beneath all layers. Create a small elliptical marquee and fill it with black. Add Gaussian Blur to soften it. Next create new layer, add bigger selection, fill it with black, add Gaussian Blur, and reduce its opacity to 80%. Finally, duplicate previous shadow and add a very Gaussian Blur to get a very soft cast shadow on the floor.

Step 115

We're done with this one.

Step 116: Blackberry Viewed From Back

I hope you're still with me. This time we'll draw back side of the phone. Create this shape with color #434343.

Step 135

Step 136

Repeat previous process, but this time use black for its color and resize it more.

Step 137

Add layer mask and paint areas on top and bottom corner with black.

Step 138: Side Buttons

Draw three circles and place them behind all layers.

Step 139

Use soft brush and paint white to add button's highlight on the phone.

Step 140: Draw Phone's Shadow

Create small elliptical selection right under the phone. Fill it with black and Add Gaussian Blur. Create slightly bigger selection, fill it with black, add Gaussian Blur, reduce its opacity. Create cast shadow by duplicating previous Shadow and give it a very big Gaussian Blur.

Step 141

Finally, we're done with backside of the phone.

Step 142

Let’s put both phones in one place. Create new layer above Background layer. Draw a radial gradient from black to white. Duplicate layer, hit Cmd/Ctrl + T then pull the new layer down.

Mohammad Jeprie is a blogger, author, and graphic designer from Indonesia. He's not an artist, but he knows a few Photoshop techniques and loves to share it with everyone. He runs his own design blog, DesainDigital where he shares tutorials and inspirations for other designers.